


I'm Just Curious

by lostin_space



Series: Time After Time 2020❤️️ [3]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, F/F, First Meetings, Flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23647297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: Maria DeLuca ran the town’s most profitable saloon.Isobel Evans knew this for a fact because her husband never shut up about it.
Relationships: Maria DeLuca/Isabel Evans
Series: Time After Time 2020❤️️ [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699378
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14
Collections: Time After Time: A Roswell New Mexico Alternate Era AU Event





	I'm Just Curious

**Author's Note:**

> title after our lord and savior hayley kiyoko 
> 
> day 3 of the time after time event: western!

Maria DeLuca ran the town’s most profitable saloon.

Isobel Evans knew this for a fact because her husband never shut up about it.

“I can’t believe they even let a woman run that damn place,” he would ramble, “How is she even keeping the business afloat? I bet she doesn’t even know how to balance the books.” And yet he would still go to her saloon for drinks with his friends. She’d given up asking why long ago.

Isobel Evans didn’t know Maria DeLuca, but she admired her from afar. The population of the town was a solid three men to every one woman, each of those women either being married off or too young to be married off. Except for Maria.

She was unmarried and refused to be pressured despite the many men that fawned over her. Isobel hadn’t been as strong and had wed young, leaving school to get married and be a good wife by the time she turned sixteen. 

Her husband wasn’t a bad man. Boring and annoying, yes, but not  _ bad.  _ He never pressured her to have children despite other men and women in the town thinking it was awfully odd that they, after a decade of marriage, hadn’t even had a scare. Well, they had had a scare after the wedding night, but they didn’t touch much after that. Isobel couldn’t find any interest and, as long as she said nothing (which she didn’t), her husband happily found solace in the beds of other women that welcomed him.

The only other woman older than twenty in town that didn’t have any children or hadn’t at least tried for them was Maria DeLuca. Isobel thought that made her even that much more fascinating. When she passed the saloon some days, she’d eagerly try and see if she could spot her. She rarely ever did.

Because, on top of what Maria DeLuca did on the surface, she also had an allegedly interesting private life. There were whispers of her having a particular  _ liking  _ for women, doing things that maybe she shouldn’t have with them. The women from Isobel’s sewing group gossiped nasty things about her and the men around town weren’t any better. But Isobel found herself even more intrigued with each word. She asked more questions than she should, always eager for more information.

She never got any information that she wanted to hear. Honestly, she wasn’t sure  _ what  _ she wanted to hear.

That was probably how she found herself wandering towards the saloon at dusk one night. Her husband wasn’t home and curiosity had gotten the best of her, eager to peek inside those forbidden doors and get her answers. She’d borrowed a pair of her husband’s trousers, a top, and a vest. She’d tied her hair back at the nape of her neck and placed a wide-brimmed hat on her head. It would work absolutely.

Isobel walked through the doors of The Wild Pony saloon with her head held high, mimicking the walk she’d seen many men use. The room was full of music, smoke, and laughter. People were playing cards in the corner, the Saloon girls were dancing, a piano was playing, men were drinking. 

Then she saw her.

She was manning the bar, a confident smile on her face as she doled out drinks. Her hair was all tied up and her dress was simply casual. She seemed so at home behind the bar and Isobel didn’t remember the last time she felt that at home anywhere. How the hell did this woman exist?

Isobel stepped up to the bar and Maria turned to her. She paused a minute, registering the fact that Isobel was a woman faster than any of the men around her seemed to. They were far too focused on the saloon girls. But Maria noticed and smiled.

“What can I do for you?” she asked, leaning forward. Her chest seemed to be on display as she did so and, well, Isobel couldn’t help but look. Maria didn’t protest. 

“I’m here for a drink,” Isobel eventually said. Maria smiled, tilting her pretty head to the side. Isobel shifted in her seat and her stomach tightened. 

“Anything in particular?”

“I’m not picky.”

“You aren’t?” Maria wondered, leaning just a bit closer. Isobel swallowed hard.

“Never.”

“Alright,” she said, but then she leaned in closer. Isobel’s entire mind shut down as she felt her hot breath on her ear. “Hats off inside, cowboy.”

Hesitantly, Isobel took the hat off and watched her walk down the bar. 

The rest of the night went by like none Isobel had experienced. It was all so new and freeing. No one spoke down to her or really spoke to her at all. They didn’t recognize her as that Evans girl or that lawyer’s wife. She was just another person at the bar.

Maria, however, gave her more than a little bit of attention and Isobel was obsessed with it. She didn’t judge like the girls in her sewing club and she wasn’t gross like the men who gave her attention. She spoke to her and made jokes and touched her hair. Isobel was happy. She’d been content for so long she forgot what it meant to truly want something.

She wanted her.

The crowd slowly dwindled and, even as the workers began to clean up for the night, Isobel sat at the stool. She offered to go, but Maria would grab her hand and ask her to stay. And, god, she wanted to stay. If this was what it was supposed to feel like with another person, then Isobel hadn’t realized what she was missing.

“Let me see here,” Maria said once the last saloon girl had left them alone with a smirk and a wave. Isobel let her grab her hand again, flipping her palm up and tracing the lines. It was absolutely enchanting. “Your love line is so long, Cowboy.”

“You know palmistry?”

“Of course,” she said, “Do you know what a long love line means?”

“What does it mean?” Isobel asked, leaning forward in intrigue. Whether she was intrigued in the love line or the woman, who could truly tell?

“It means you’re extremely loyal,” Maria informed her, “But loyal to whom?”

Isobel stared at her, waited for her to tell her. Obviously, she couldn’t. No matter how psychic someone was, they couldn’t tell that. Or could they? No. Right? Maria pulled her hand closer until it was almost touching her chest.

“You’re beautiful,” Isobel told her honestly. Maria smiled.

“Thank you for noticing,” she responded. Isobel gulped softly, leaning closer. “I’ve noticed yours too, you know.”

“My what?”

Maria flickered her eyes over her, smirking slightly. She pulled her hand to her lips and kissed her palm sincerely. Isobel didn’t breathe.

“Why don’t you come upstairs with me?” Maria said, pressing another kiss to her hand.

Yes, Isobel didn’t quite understand the draw she had to Maria DeLuca. But she let her lead her to the little room upstairs and waited with eager eyes as they got alone.

“Kiss me,” Maria said, leaning against the closed door. 

“I haven’t kissed anyone in a very long time. I’m not sure I remember how,” Isobel admitted. Maria tilted her head back, exposing her gorgeous neck. She gravitated closer.

“I can teach you a lot of things,” Maria promised.

Isobel took her up on that offer and she learned just how strong that particular liking for women could be.

**Author's Note:**

> also on my tumblr: spaceskam


End file.
